Level 1 (4 points)

How do I reset iCloud encryption keys in 27.0?

I know this is a last-resort option, but I've tried many things suggested in these forums but when I get to the last step, the UI looks different. I'll recount what I've experienced below, but please keep in mind I'd like this thread to be a definitive workflow for getting to the action which resets encryption keys in iCloud on iOS 27.0 and newer.

I got a new iPhone 18 Pro last weekend, and after restoring it from my iPhone 17 Pro, I still had a "Resume Data Sync" action item in Settings. When I enter a passcode for some other device, like my iPhone or iPad, it pops up an alert that says "Something went wrong". I then try sending a code to another device, which is received and entered correctly, but I hit the same issue. Here's where the 27.0 UI seems different. If I tap through the "Can't get to any devices?" button, it just says "Try again later" or Cancel. (Those are the same action in practice.) I don't see anywhere where it offers the solution to reset, but maybe I'm not looking in the right spot?

I took a sysdiagnose and found a line containing both "Failed to restore iCloud Identity" and "no recovery key found in <SOSBackupSliceKeyBag...>". I have reason to believe this is because the iPhone 17 was enrolled in a corporate MDM profile, but I left the company in March. I do NOT have Advanced Data Protection enabled now, but I don't know if the MDM profile had it enabled while I was at that company. I never had this issue in the time I was employed there.

I have also tried restarting both phones; logging out of iCloud on my new phone (scared to try on my old phone, lest I loose access); and I even tried toggling off sync Passwords & Keychain on my old iPhone, but the toggle immediately toggled back on. So even though password sync works between my old iPhone and iPad, I think my old phone is already unable to write some things to iCloud like sync status. I hope someone can help me find a way to reset things on iOS or macOS 27. Digging up a machine I haven't already updated to 27.0 might be tricky.

Posted on Sep 23, 2026 8:23 AM

3 replies

Pine4ppleFruit Author

Level 1 (4 points)

Sep 25, 2026 2:23 PM in response to Pine4ppleFruit

Support said there is nothing they can do to reset on their end. However, they did say that in addition to the 2 week probation time, there is also a 10 try maximum per machine. I have 9 machines in my trusted device list, many of which are old and I've removed them from the account but of course that information is not sync'd in this broken state. So I'm entering the password for each 10 times, each of which fails, but takes 3 minutes to do so. If everything goes perfectly, I'll be at this for 4.5 hours. I'm 3 hours in and 6 machines done. With any luck I'll be done in another 1.5 hours. This appears to be the definitive way to trigger reset. The other option is failing to use HomeKit to turn off lights for 2 weeks.

Pine4ppleFruit Author

Level 1 (4 points)

Oct 7, 2026 4:39 PM in response to Pine4ppleFruit

Apple Support was very empathetic, but there was nothing they could do. I sat on my thumbs for 2 weeks, unable to setup my new Apple Watch or use iPhone mirroring, until finally this morning the probation time ran out. Then I had to exhaust the 10 tries for each device on my account, and "Send a Code". Finally the "More Options" button showed up inside the "My devices aren't nearby" button, and I was able to initiate deletion of encrypted data. Once done, I was able to add my Mac and iPad and Apple Vision Pro back to my iCloud syncing, and now everything is back to normal.

BTW, 2 weeks ago when I realized I would have to wait, I filed a Feedback about the lack of escape hatch offered to someone genuinely stuck. If any Apple employees want to take up this radar and fix it, it will be in your own benefit because I 100% believe it's because I retired recently and had my iCloud all tied up in the corporate stuff: FB24942548

Pine4ppleFruit Author

Level 1 (4 points)

Sep 25, 2026 7:53 AM in response to Pine4ppleFruit

I installed the AuthKit logging profile and looked at the sysdiagnose. It looks like there is a 2 week timer that has not expired that may offer me the chance to wipe the keys:

    RPD Probation: Can show RPD option: 91384.346990 >= 1209600.000000 = NO

I presume that's necessary folks who just need some extra time to find their device before they do something destructive. I have all my devices, and it's not working. Furthermore, the server responds with:

             stringValue = "Reachability validation and single trust component failed";
        errorDescription = ".resultGraphNotReachableNoSingleTrustComponent";

I've scheduled a call with Apple Support to see if there's anything I can do to speed up that RPD Probation time.

Originally posted at discussions.apple.com/thread/256363500